Life Satisfaction, Dieting Behavior, and Weight Perceptions among College Students

This study examined the relationships among perceived life satisfaction, perceptions of body weight, and dieting behaviors among 522 college students. Adjusted multiple logistic regression analyses and multivariate models constructed separately were utilized for this study. Perceptions of underweight and extreme worry over weight were significantly associated with dissatisfaction with life for both males and females (p < 0.01). However, vomiting; perceptions of overweight; binge eating behavior; extreme worry over binge eating behavior; and engaging in binge eating behavior for more than one year were significantly related to dissatisfaction with life for only females (p < 0.01). In addition, both males and females were less likely to self-identify problematic disordered eating, with males being particularly less likely to report concern over extreme dieting behaviors. Results suggest that carefully designed educational and intervention efforts for college students with eating disorders must take gender differences into account. Programs for males may need to differ from those for females in terms of recruitment, intervention integrity, and evaluation considerations.

E. Scott HuebnerEmail: